Immigration is a continuously controversial topic, especially in light of recent news coming out of Arizona. With the recent legal decisions by the Arizona state government regarding illegal aliens and the use of ethnic profiling, many contemplative articles & blogs are surfacing that deal with these issues.
(This question references the story in Genesis 9:20-27)
Does anyone know why Noah is so annoyed when Ham, his son, sees him sleeping naked (Noah got drunk and passed out). Ham tells his brothers and his brothers put a robe over their shoulders and walk backwards into the tent, so that they won't actually see their father naked, and they cover him with the robe. But when Noah wakes up and finds out what Ham did, he is furious, and he curses Canaan--Ham's son. Why?
I am interested in getting more insight ino the Greek word "monen" used in John 14:23 and in its plural form in John 14:1. I read that that word is only used twice in the NT; is there any specific intent/purpose with the use of that specific word? I am exploring home/temple metaphors and I find the John 14:23 passage interesting from that point of view. God is in the temple shifts here to God is in you.
Are dogma, doctrine, and orthodoxy really central to the message Jesus wanted to get across? If not, what major historical events or figures or other reasons have caused the church to emphasize and become so distracted by such issues?
Today, we hear a lot from televised Christianity and politically-conservative ministries about "moral absolutes." Are there moral absolutes in Christianity, especially those which must guide all personal (e.g., sexuality) and/or public morality? If any exist, what are they, how do we recognize them, are they as and when should they be applied, and does ancient Biblical morality still apply to us today? If you believe in moral absolutes, what is their Biblical basis? If not, why is the assumption of moral absolutes questionable?
I want to believe that Christians should promote religious tolerance, but I am unable to justify why we as Christians should, and that this would be truly Christian to promote religious tolerance.
If you know of any good resources, please let me know.
Should the book of Revelation be read as a literal book? Are there any books in the Old Testament that correlate with the book of Revelation? Are we living in the times of tribulation?
I am interested in the distinction between the historical Jesus and the mythologized Jesus created by the Bible and numerous other texts and presentations. First, how do we know that the historical person, Jesus, really existed? Are there any historical records written by non-Christians? Second, what do we know about the real person? Is there anything written about him by contemporaries?
Most Bible translations indicate that there are textual issues with John 7:53-8:11, which is the story of the woman caught in adultery who was brought to Jesus for judgment. Some are suggesting that this passage should not just be noted to have difficulty but removed from the text entirely.
What are the difficulties with this text and when should textual questions lead to the actual removal of a phrase or passage from the Bible?
The Conservative Bible Project claims that Jesus' famous line from the cross "Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing" (in Luke 23:34) is a later addition and should not be included in a true translation of the Bible. Is that true?
LITERACY
UNDERSTANDING
DIALOGUE
